Improvement in horse hay-forks



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Astent )Wire Letters Patent No. 103,192, elated May 17, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame Tulzll whom 'it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN` W. HULL, of Gonnersville, in the county ot'Fayette and State 0f Indiana, have invented a new and improved HorseHay-Fork; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin theart to make and use the, same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing forming part ot' this specification.

Figure 1 represents a front view, part-ly in section, ci' my improvedhorse hay-fork.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the same.

Stirnilar letters of reference indicate corresponding par s.

This invention relates to a new horse hay-fork of" very simpleconstruction. It combines the advautages of the ordinary pronged forkwith those of the harpoon, by so constructing the projecting prongs orears of my fork that they will be concealed, like harpoons,vvhen thcloadis to be discharged.

A iu` the drawing represents the shank or Inain handle of my improvedfork. Its lower end carries a triangular prong or ear, a, which projectsfrom one side of the shank, forming at its upper end asupporting-shoulderJ), as shown.

lo about the middle of the shank A is, by means `of a projecting lug orlilik, c, connect-ed withthe same the shank B of the second prong or eard.

proJects from the shank B, so as to stand opposite to` This ear a, andforms the second suppoi-tilig-shoulder e.

The shank B is not quite straight, but forms an obv tuse angle at theplace where itconuect-s with the y shank A, as shown. When its upperpart is laid flat against A, its lower part projects away from the same,as indicated by dotted lines, and cica rersa.

From both shauks project, opposite to their prongs, and in line with thesupportiiig-shoulders of the same,

shields f f, which are, preferably, sheet-metal plates, which overlapthe supporting-edges ou the opposite prongs, respectively. rlhe fork canthen 'oe forced into the hay, and, when in sufcieutly far, the-upperends t of. the shanks are brought together, to spread the prongs apart.The shoulders b e will, when the fork is hoisted iu this position, carryup the necessary quantity of hay. i

When the hay is to be dumped, the prongs are forced together by bringingthe upper ends of their Shanks apart, and thereby the shoulders b e arecarried under the shields, which will clear them of their I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The lever G, angled at thepoint shown in iig. 1

of drawing, combined with straight rod A, each hav-` ing a shield and anangular prong at its lower end, each constructed, arranged, and operatedas and for the purpose specified.

2. lhe ears a d, having the shape of right-angled triangles, combinedwith col-respondugly-shaped shields ff, allconstructed, operated, andrelatively arranged as and for the purpose described.

rlhe above specification of my invention signed by me this 25th day ofJanuary, 1869.

- TOHN W.' HULL. Witnesses F. A. Hanson, J. A. HANsoN.

